Moultrie family uses faith to battle CF

John Carlton's sister shares what she wrote about in school regarding CF

The Hamners say they have faith in God to get by

MOULTRIE, GA (WALB) -

A roosters call, a pond filled with ducks and a donkey that greets you upon arrival sounds like a perfect way to get up in the morning. But for 7 year old John Carlton, he has this a buzzing machine to wake up to.

6:30 every morning John Carlton and his mother take out the medication and strap on the vest hooked to the machine that helps break up mucus in his lungs. John was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was only 6 months old. His parents Dean and Haley Hamner are both carriers and out of three kids, John inherited the chronic disease.

"So by the time we had gotten the last results which is the CF test we kind of knew that this is probably what it was. But we were still relieved that we knew so we could get on the right track,"Mother Haley Hamner said.

The Hamners says it's the support of family, friends and the community that has gotten them through it all.

"Our hope is in God and the Lord Jesus Christ. But we are all pulling together because it takes us all to make it happen," Father Dean Hamner shares.

John Carlton knows battling CF is a team effort and when asked about how it felt about it, he did fall a bit shy but when asked about the deer he shot a couple of years ago he was more than happy to share.

"We came back in the truck and we started to wait and first a doe came out," John Carlton said. "then two bucks and we got the gun out of the stand (I lined it up for you and let you pull the trigger," Dean Hamner said) And I said 'Daddy, did we hit him,? Daddy, did we get him?'"

With nearly 30,000 people who are diagnosed each year with CF the family says the walk is not just for John Carlton but for everyone.

Even the sister of John feels its an important task, "It is our wish that the scientists find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis together we can make a difference."

The Hamners feel by staying strong and pushing forward they can make it.

Our Wish Run For Cystic Fibrosis takes place November 16th at 8am at Moultrie Technical College